Broad Humor Film Festival - I'm a finalist!!!

In my inbox this morning:








Congratulations,

Your screenplay has been selected as a finalist in the 2008 Broad Humor Film Festival taking place June 13-15 in Venice, California.

I'm so excited! Also, kind of sad I'll be in Brazil during the festival...

Read a synopsis of Here Come the Bridesmaids here.

Juggling

Life as an aspiring writer feels like a juggling and balancing act most of the time. Here are some of the things required to have a career as a screenwriter:


-Writing new material constantly.
-Rewriting already existing scripts.
-Begging friends, spouse and other writers for input on your stuff so you can do yet another rewrite.
-Submitting to agents, managers and producers.
-Going to events to meet new people so that you can submit to yet more people.
-Tracking submissions you made via email or phone.
-Printing, photocopying and mailing scripts to competitions, agents managers and producers. (I'm always happy to see a competitions that accepts PDF files, the same goes for producers, managers and agents)
-Watching movies and TV shows that are pertinent to what you are writing.



-Watching movies and TV shows because of your love for art. (That's why you're doing all this in the first place, isn't it?)
-Reading the blogs and trades so you get your entertainment news.
-Reading books about the craft of writing.
-Taking writing classes and going to seminars.
-Reading books that are pertinent to what you are writing.
-Reading books for the love of it and because reading will make you a better writer.
-Reading screenplays, produced, unproduced, for friends or for fun.




If think that's about it..

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. A day job so you can pay for costs of being an aspiring writer. Make sure to squeeze that in somewhere.

Collaboration - part 2

It has begun. Had my first meeting about this collaboration project and I'm so excited to be working on someone else's idea. I have learned so much already... Too bad I can't go into too much details right now. Stay tuned for more.

I wish I had written this...

I have a list of movies I wish I had written. This one is moving to the top of the list and I haven't even seen it yet. It's so inspiring to see another Brazilian doing well in Hollywood with a project that doesn't have "Brazil" stamped all over it. Not that there is anything wrong with that, is just that I feel I have more than my nationality to offer as an artist. I also have been told I have to rock my Brazilian side and use that as an angle to break in. Don't know how I feel about that, or exactly how to do it, so I just keep writing stories that move me and inspire me.

Vision

I woke up with an image similar to these ones in my head today. I know there's a story here and I know what the story is. I also think it describes my emotional state these days.



But this is also how Plastic came to me to. Just before I feel asleep one night I had a image burned into my brain. I remember telling myself I had to remember that haunting image of a Life-Size Barbie Doll the next day. And I did. I think I also was feeling less then appreciated that day. I had stayed up super late working to deliver a translation and was feeling less then human.

Now, almost a year later I've done about seven drafts of Plastic, placed in a competition with it, and hopefully you will see it in the theaters soon... I guess good does come out of my darkest moments.

Emotional roller coaster

I was a little upset yesterday. I have had a good night sleep and have picked myself up from my funk. I considered taking down the previous post, but I want to be honest about what the life of a writer can be like sometimes. So, it's stays. Just FYI, I'm not always that bitter. I think most of the time I'm extremely positive, too positive, borderline delusional positive.

Tired

Sometimes life feels like an uphill battle with very little meaning to it. That's how I feel right now. I'm physically and emotionally tired of this Hollywood struggle. I'm about ready to pack it in. You win, Hollywood. Go make another razzy winning sequel while I leave town with my tale between my legs. In case you haven't figured it out yet, someone just passed on one of my scripts. I just can't catch a break.

New Script

Just finished a draft of yet another screenplay. It's always exciting to finish something, but the work is far from over. I'm hoping to do another pass before I go on vacation in June.

Disfigured

Logline: After suffering a disfiguring accident, a woman discovers she’s the latest victim of a serial attacker.

Synopsis:

Madison’s life as a young and attractive schoolteacher seems perfect to the naked eye. She has an attentive fiancée, friends and students that adore her. Everything is turned upside down when Madison suffers a horrible disfiguring car accident. A deranged person throws a brick from a freeway overpass striking her car and her perfect face. Now Madison will have to put her life back together and adjust to being stared at and treated like a freak. But when she discovers she’s only the latest victim of a serial attacker, no one around her is safe. She’ll have to fight to stay alive and save the ones she loves.

Collaboration

I'm excited to report that I have two collaborations projects in the works with two amazing women. Can't discuss details since nothing is set in stone, but I'm excited to be working with some cool people.